Sunday 22 December 2019

The 25th Anniversary Top of the Pops

This edition of Top of the Pops from December 31st 1988 will not be shown on BBC4 because one of the hosts is Jimmy Savile. So obvioulsy don't click on any links if you wish to avoid him. Otherwise a big thanks goes to xrayfour for finding a link where you can stream it here, and a link where you can download an mkv file version here on WeTransfer.

Silver haired jubilee!


25th Anniversary, 31/12/88  (Radio 1 DJs)

The Swinging Blue Jeans – “Hippy Hippy Shake”
Manfred Mann – “Mighty Quinn” (clip from 15/02/68)
Procol Harum – “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” (clip from 26/12/67)
The Dave Clark Five – “Bits & Pieces” (clip from 19/02/64)
The Kinks – “Lola” (clip from 18/06/70)
The Animals – “House Of The Rising Sun” (clip)
The Hollies – “I Can’t Let Go” (clip)
The Beach Boys – “Good Vibrations” (clip)
Mike Love – brief interview
The Tremeloes – “Silence Is Golden”
Slade – “Merry Xmas Everybody” (clip from 25/12/74)
Gary Glitter – “I Love You Love Me Love” (clip from 15/12/73)
The Jam – “Going Underground” (clip from 27/03/80)
The Police – “Don’t Stand So Close To Me ‘86” (video clip)
Adam & The Ants – “Stand & Deliver” (video clip)
Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Two Tribes” (TOTP clip)
Duran Duran – “Is There Something I Should Know?” (clip from 23/03/83)
Village People – “YMCA” (video clip)
Showaddywaddy – “Under The Moon Of Love” (TOTP clip)
Free – “All Right Now” (clip from 04/06/70)
The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown – “Fire” (clip from 18/07/68)
Benny Hill – “Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)” (film clip)
Ray Stevens – “The Streak” (clip from 27/12/74)
Sylvia – “Y Viva Espana” (clip from 15/08/74)
Mud – “Tiger Feet”
Moira Stewart – brief interview
Sandie Shaw – “Long Live Love” (rehearsal clip)
Cilla Black – “Anyone Who Had A Heart” (clip)
Madonna – “Like A Virgin” (clip from 13/12/84)
Olivia Newton-John – “A Little More Love” (clip from 07/12/78)
Kate Bush – “Wuthering Heights” (video clip)
Dusty Springfield – “Son Of A Preacher Man” (clip)
Lulu – brief interview
Lulu – “Shout”
Errol Brown – brief interview
Hot Chocolate – “So You Win Again” (TOTP clip)
T.Rex – “Hot Love” (clip from 25/03/71)
Roxy Music – “Virginia Plain” (clip from 24/08/72)
The Jacksons – “Blame It On The Boogie” (video clip)
Abba – “Waterloo” (clip from 25/12/74)
Sex Pistols – “Pretty Vacant” (video clip)
ELO – “Mr Blue Sky” (video clip)
John Denver – “Annie’s Song” (clip)
St Winifred’s School Choir – “There’s No One Quite Like Grandma” (clip from 04/12/80)
Terry Jacks – “Seasons In The Sun” (Musikladen clip)
Glenn Medeiros – “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You” (clip from 07/07/88)
Engelbert Humperdinck – “Release Me”
The Rolling Stones – “Jumping Jack Flash” (clip)
The Rolling Stones – “The Last Time” (clip from 04/03/65)
The Rolling Stones – “Brown Sugar” (clip from 15/04/71)
The Rolling Stones – “Let’s Spend The Night Together” (clip from 26/12/67)
Les McKeown – brief interview
Bay City Rollers – “Bye Bye Baby” (TOTP clip)
Donny Osmond – “Puppy Love” (clip)
Kajagoogoo – “Too Shy” (TOTP clip)
A-ha – “The Sun Always Shines On TV” (video clip)
Bros – “When Will I Be Famous?” (TOTP clip)
David Essex – “Gonna Make You A Star”
Petula Clark – brief interview
Cliff Richard – brief interview
Lulu – brief interview
Maurice & Robin Gibb – brief interview
The Bee Gees – “Massachusetts” (clip from 26/12/67)
Fleetwood Mac – “Albatross” (clip)
Madness – “Our House” (video clip)
The Monkees – “I’m A Believer” (film clip)
The Shadows – “Don’t Make My Baby Blue” (clip from 12/08/65)
The Three Degrees – “When Will I See You Again?” (clip from 15/08/74)
Blondie – “Denis” (video clip)
The Who – “My Generation” (clip)
Dire Straits – “Sultans Of Swing” (video clip)
Gladys Knight & The Pips – “Midnight Train To Georgia” (clip from 29/04/76)
The Four Tops – “Reach Out I’ll Be There”
Brian May & Roger Taylor – brief interview
Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody” (video clip)
John Lennon – “Imagine” (film clip)
Sonny & Cher – “I Got You Babe” (clip from 12/08/65)
U2 – “Pride (In The Name Of Love” (video clip)
Ultravox – “Vienna” (clip from 25/12/81)
The Boomtown Rats – “I Don’t Like Mondays” (video clip)
Cliff Richard – brief interview
Cliff Richard – “We Don’t Talk Anymore”
Rod Stewart – “Maggie May” (TOTP clip)
Elton John – “Daniel” (clip from 25/01/73)
David Bowie – “Starman” (clip from 06/07/72)
Phil Collins – “You Can’t Hurry Love” (video clip)
Stevie Wonder – “I Just Called To Say I Love You” (video clip)
Marvin Gaye – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” (video clip)
Lionel Richie – “Hello” (video clip)
Michael Jackson – “Billie Jean” (video clip)
Bruce Springsteen – “Born In The USA” (video clip)
Roy Orbison – “Oh Pretty Woman” (film clip)
Tom Jones – “Delilah” (clip from 07/03/68)
Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder – “Ebony & Ivory” (video clip)
Elvis Presley – “The Wonder Of You” (stills)
Shakin’ Stevens – “This Ole House”
Lulu – brief interview
Tom Jones – brief interview
Don McLean – “American Pie” (live clip)
The Righteous Brothers – “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” (clip from 28/01/65)
10cc – “I’m Not In Love” (live clip)
The Supremes – “Baby Love” (clip from 07/10/64)
Whitney Houston – “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” (clip from 21/05/87)
George Michael – “Careless Whisper” (video clip)
Band Aid – “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” (clip from 25/12/84)
Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards – brief interview
Dexys Midnight Runners – “Come On Eileen” (clip from 25/12/82)
Eurythmics – “You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart” (clip from 23/06/88)
Wham! – “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” (video clip)
Culture Club – “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?” (clip from 25/12/82)
Genesis – “Turn It On Again” (clip from 13/03/80)
Soft Cell – “Say Hello Wave Goodbye” (video clip)
Spandau Ballet – “True” (TOTP clip)
The Human League – “Don’t You Want Me” (video clip)
Depeche Mode – “Just Can’t Get Enough” (clip from 24/09/81)
The Beatles – “Daytripper” (clip)
The Beatles – “Hello Goodbye” (clip)
The Beatles – “We Can Work It Out” (clip)
The Beatles – “Hey Jude” (clip)
Petula Clark – brief interview
Cliff Richard – brief interview
Lulu – brief interview
Status Quo – “Pictures Of Matchstick Men” (clip from 15/02/68)
Status Quo – “Rockin’ All Over The World” (with credits)


So that's it for 1988 ~ many many thanks once again to all who read and contribute to this blog, have a great Xmas and we will see you back here in 1989!

Saturday 21 December 2019

My Christmassy Sort of Tune

I'd just like to take this chance to wish everyone who reads and contributes to this blog a very Merry Christmas!

I have to admit I'm slightly nervous about posting this, but since it's without a doubt the closest I'll ever get to being on Top of the Pops myself, here is (performed by yours truly in front of the Only Way Is Up laptop) my Christmassy Sort of Tune :-)


Friday 20 December 2019

Top of the Pops and Wine

We wish you a merry Christmas Day 1988 edition of Top of the Pops!

We Three DJs



25/12/88  (Bruno Brookes, Gary Davies & Anthea Turner)

S-Express – “Theme From S-Express”
Pet Shop Boys – “Always On My Mind”

Belinda Carlisle – “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” (video clip)
Tiffany – “I Think We’re Alone Now” (video clip)
Kylie Minogue – “I Should Be So Lucky” (video clip)
Whitney Houston – “One Moment In Time” (video clip)
Enya – “Orinoco Flow” (rpt from 20/10/88)

Aswad – “Don’t Turn Around” 
Fairground Attraction – “Perfect”

Climie Fisher – “Love Changes (Everything)” (video clip)
Bros – “When Will I Be Famous?” (video clip)
Rick Astley – “Together Forever” (video clip)
Bobby McFerrin – “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” (video clip)
Brother Beyond – “The Harder I Try” (video clip)

Pet Shop Boys – “Heart”
Yazz – “”The Only Way Is Up”

The Timelords & Gary Glitter – “Doctorin’ The Tardis”~ edited out.

Bros – “I Owe You Nothing” (video clip)
Glenn Medeiros – “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You” (video clip)
Phil Collins – “Groovy Kind Of Love” (clip from 08/09/88)
Robin Beck – “The First Time” (rpt from 10/11/88)

Wet Wet Wet – “With A Little Help From My Friends”
The Hollies – “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”

Cliff Richard – “Mistletoe & Wine” (rpt from 08/12/88)
Bros – “Silent Night” (with credits)


Next up is the 31st December.

Loco In Top of the Pops

You won't be pulling out your hair or drowning in despair tonight with the 22nd December 1988 edition of Top of the Pops!

The Four Tops of the Pops


22/12/88  (Nicky Campbell & Steve Wright)

The Four Tops – “Loco In Acapulco” (15)
All the way from Heathrow to get tonight's show underway with what became their eleventh and final top ten hit when it peaked at number 7.

A-ha – “You Are The One” (20)
Also in the studio tonight and on their way to number 13.

Kim Wilde – “Four Letter Word” (19)
Looking very respectable and grown up this evening in a very fetching 1940's style frock performing a song that would peak at number 6.

Shakin’ Stevens – “True Love” (28) (breaker)
Peaked at number 23.

Freiheit – “Keeping The Dream Alive” (27) (breaker)
Their only hit and it peaked at number 14.

Neneh Cherry – “Buffalo Stance” (13)
There can't be too many performers who made their studio debut just weeks away from giving birth, and this song became her first of five top ten hits when it peaked at number 3.

Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan – “Especially For You” (2)
Topping off an impressive night in the studio to perform the song that was patiently waiting in line to be number one after Christmas.

Cliff Richard – “Mistletoe & Wine” (1) (rpt from 08/12/88)
Third of four weeks at number one.

Status Quo – “Burning Bridges (On & Off & On Again)” (7) (rpt from 08/12/88 + credits)
Went up two more places.


December 25th is next.

Friday 13 December 2019

Born To Be My Top of the Pops

Rainy night and we worked all day, we got something they can't take away - the 15th December 1988 edition of Top of the Pops!

Andy Bells


15/12/88  (Gary Davies & Mark Goodier)

Bon Jovi – “Born To Be My Baby” (22)
They're studio regulars by now and they get tonight's show underway but the song got no higher.

Petula Clark – “Downtown ‘88” (13)
She'd already been around for 34 years by now, and she's doing a live vocal in the studio, and what was to be her final hit went up three more places.

U2 – “Angel Of Harlem” (10) (video)
This second single from their massive number one album Rattle and Hum went up one more place.

New Order – “Fine Time” (15)
Also performing completely live in the sudio tonight - but how was he doing that weird, robotic vocal? But anyway it peaked at number 11.

The Four Tops – “Loco In Acapulco” (23) (breaker)
Became their 11th and final top ten hit when it peaked at number 7.

Kim Wilde – “Four Letter Word” (28) (breaker)
Peaked at number 6.

Londonbeat – “9 AM (The Comfort Zone)” (29) (breaker)
Peaked at number 19.

Erasure – “Stop” (4)
In the studio to perform the lead song from their Crackers International ep and it went up two more places.

Inner City – “Good Life” (6)
Also in the studio tonight and the song also went up two more places.

Cliff Richard – “Mistletoe & Wine” (1) (video)
Second of four weeks at number one.

A-ha – “You Are The One” (25) (video/credits)
Peaked at number 13.


December 22nd will be up here next.

Friday 6 December 2019

Mistletoe & Top of the Pops

Dreams of Santa, dreams of snow, it's the 8th December 1988 edition of Top of the Pops!

Crimbo Richard



08/12/88  (Nicky Campbell & Caron Keating)

Status Quo – “Burning Bridges (On & Off & On Again)” (20)
The Quo get things underway tonight with a belter of a  party tune which became their penultimate top ten hit when it peaked at number 5.


Angry Anderson – “Suddenly” (3)
All the way from Scott & Charlene's wedding into the studio but the song couldn't get any higher.


Phil Collins – “Two Hearts” (6) (video)
Another tune from his Buster movie but it was now at its peak.

Petula Clark – “Downtown ‘88” (24) (breaker)
It had peaked at number 2 in 1964, this remix became Petula's twelth and final top ten hit when it peaked at number 10.

New Order – “Fine Time” (23) (breaker)
Peaked at number 11.

Inner City – “Good Life” (22) (breaker)
Peaked at number 4.

Erasure – “Stop” (7) (breaker)
Peaked at number 2.

Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan – “Especially For You” (2) (video)
The Neighbours are taking over the chart. And it will get to number one, but not in time for Christmas.

Cliff Richard – “Mistletoe & Wine” (1)
That's because Cliff has moved in to Christmas number one town, and he'll be there for the next four weeks. And a live vocal I think, or at least a re-recording for the studio.

Bananarama – “Nathan Jones” (15) (rpt from 24/11/88 + credits)
At its peak.


15th December is next

Top of the Pops Among the Pigeons

And so Top of the Pops 1988 is finally about to synchronise with 2019 with this edition from 1st December 1988.

The very last time


01/12/88  (Bruno Brookes & Mike Read)

Rick Astley – “Take Me To Your Heart” (12)
Rick gets the festive month underway and the song peaked at number 8.

Michael Jackson – “Smooth Criminal” (8) (video)
Got no higher.

George Michael – “Kissing A Fool” (24) (breaker)
His sixth single from his number one album Faith, and it peaked at number 18.

Angry Anderson – “Suddenly” (16) (breaker)
His only hit and it peaked at number 3.

Cliff Richard – “Mistletoe & Wine” (7) (breaker)
Will be this year's Christmas number one of course.

Phil Collins – “Two Hearts” (6) (breaker)
At its peak.

Pet Shop Boys – “Left To My Own Devices” (4)
The dynamic duo are in the studio once more but this lastest hit got no higher.

Bros – “Cat Among The Pigeons” (2)
This contender came straight in at number 2, but it is perhaps one of their least memorable tunes, and it got no higher. Craig was ill with ME at this point in time and this was to be his final record with the band.

Robin Beck – “The First Time” (1) (rpt from 10/11/88)
Third and final week at number one.

Humanoid – “Stakker Humanoid” (18) (+ credits)
Some energetic dancing but this was their only top 40 hit and it went up one more place.


8th December is next.